Naturopathy and Nutrition: Careers that Help People and Pay Well

Do you feel a sense of accomplishment when you know you’ve helped someone else? Do you love working with people? Perhaps it’s time you consider a career in healthcare that allows you to pursue this feeling and achieve financial security! 

The global health and wellness industry continues to grow as health professionals try to battle the increasing number of chronic lifestyle diseases. Don’t believe us? In 2018, the global wellness economy was valued at USD 4.5 trillion. Many high-paying jobs are found in this industry.

Health issues – such as diabetes, arthritis, blood pressure and an abundance of stress-related disorders (both mental and physical) – are increasingly being aggravated by sedentary jobs coupled with hectic schedules. This means more people need help in their daily living habits to achieve their best  wellbeing!

Naturopaths and nutritionists/dietitians are some of the frontline health educators people seek advice from to achieve a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. Not only do these career paths allow you to help people achieve optimum health, they also offer financial stability.  

Naturopathy

The role of the naturopath

Naturopaths adopt a holistic approach when treating their clients’ health. By combining several natural therapies and science, they aim to treat a person’s overall health rather than specific symptoms. 

Acting as a guiding figure in a person’s health journey naturopaths are often rewarded with a sense of accomplishment when they help their clients reach their optimal balanced lifestyle. 

An industry overview

Naturopathy is a very flexible yet fulfilling career choice for those who wish to work with people. Most naturopaths choose to work part-time, over 65%, allowing for more opportunity to pursue other passions. Furthermore, the naturopathy industry within Australia is predicted to have strong job growth over the next five years, providing more employment opportunities for up and coming naturopaths.

Naturopathy is also a financially stable career choice with the annual median salary sitting anywhere between 54k – 81k, depending on experience. 

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Getting qualified

The majority of naturopaths currently practising in Australia have completed some form of higher education. The most common options include a Diploma or Advanced Diploma in Applied Science or a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science. 

How to thrive as a naturopath

Naturopaths must have exceptional interpersonal skills to thrive in their role, as they work closely with clients for extended periods to help untangle or prevent health issues. Some clients may seek a naturopath’s services for specific issues, while others just want to have a firmer grasp of their body’s self-healing abilities. 

This wide range of client-need demands that naturopaths be:

Naturopaths are hands-on with their clients, with some personally applying physical treatments such as acupuncture or massage. They also may offer counselling, lifestyle coaching and mental health referrals.

As many people are raised to follow Western medicine practises, naturopathy is often new territory for clients. Hence, this journey into holistic, natural medicine fosters a more personal relationship between the naturopath and clients.  

Nutrition and dietetics

The role of the nutritionist/dietician

Nutritionists and dieticians follow a more scientific, nutrition-based approach to a client’s health. By focusing on a person’s diet and the body’s digestive functions, these public health professionals are often consulted to help alleviate specific health symptoms or promote healthy weight loss or gain. 

By identifying the health issues, these nutrition specialists can conduct research, and create treatment plans to help minimise symptoms caused by eating habits, as well as promote quicker recuperation from stressful medical conditions. Adopting a more linear and scientific approach to health, these people help their clients fix specific health issues, achieving career satisfaction by improving people’s quality of life via nutrition. 

An industry overview

A career in nutrition or dietetics can offer great professional flexibility, with both part and full-time opportunities available. This industry also has strong projected job growth, making it a viable career path for anyone interested in food science and helping people. 

Financially, these career paths are extremely stable with the average weekly earnings of nutrition professionals sitting at approximately $1992 per week. On average, full-time nutritionists earn $57,000 while dieticians earn an average of $62,000.

Nutritionist

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Dietitian

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Getting qualified

To become a nutrition professional, most specifically a registered dietician, a Bachelor’s or Postgraduate degree is required. However, if you’re looking to test the waters of this industry before diving in, there are a variety of certificates and diplomas that will qualify you to work as a nutrition or dietetic assistant. These qualifications also act as a direct pathway to future study in related fields when you decide you’re ready to take the plunge.

How to thrive as a nutritionist or dietician

Similar to naturopaths, nutritionists and dieticians need to have great interpersonal skills. Often these professionals deal with sensitive and personal information. Hence, discretion and patience are imperative. Many nutrition professionals work within more formal environments, such as:

• Hospitals
• Schools and universities
• Health and food government departments

These environments call for exceptional:

If you’re more scientifically orientated and wish to work with medically nuanced health issues, these career paths could lead you to your dream job. Not only do you provide help to alleviate symptoms, you encourage learning and understanding of the importance of nutrients and the body’s digestive functions. 

These health-orientated professions are very people-orientated. Often, long-term, personal relationships are built between the professional and client, creating a fulfilling experience for both parties. By educating the public of the importance of nutrition and natural therapies, you help change people’s lives for the better. 

More jobs that help people and pay well

A career as a naturopath or nutrition professional not taking your fancy? Here are some other career paths to consider:

• Occupational therapist
• Nurse-Midwife
• Social worker
• Speech-language pathologist
• Law enforcement